December 2015

More memories from my mom from the first week of December:

So, I am back from Texas after a wonderful week with Gabrielle and Rachel and their families. I was so glad I extended my Thanksgiving trip - I loved every day of that extra week.  I got to teach seminary 2 and a half days which I loved and which I think was a help to Gabrielle who was suffering from a very bad cold all last week. And I actually cooked meals every day, something I haven't done for a long time. Why is it more fun cooking at someone else's house? I helped with some housework and laundry and tried to ease Gabrielle's load every way I could. But we also found time to watch two movies together on the computer - both really sad.  

On Friday Rachel drove back up from San Antonio with her kids and we went to a fantastically wonderful re-creation of Bethlehem put on by a church in the town of Burnet, about 45 minutes from Austin. It was like Nauvoo, with people dressed in costumes and all the shops and tradesmen re-enacting real life 2000 years ago. It was just magical. If ever you get a chance to go, it is worth the trip!  And it was free (they just asked for a donation, which I gladly and generously gave) including cookies and hot chocolate afterwards. Everything about it was infused with the spirit of Christ.  We loved it so much.  It was so much fun to go with Rosalia and Jacob - they are perfect ages for that sort of experience.  

And then Saturday I was able to go to the Turner boys' piano recital and for the very first time, hear my grandchildren perform.  They all did perfectly, of course :) And then, to top it all off, Sunday I was able to hear Brigham perform with the Austin Youth Orchestra and was just blown away by the quality.  And heartened to see that in Texas the youth orchestras are NOT 99% Asian :)  Such talented and accomplished young musicians, including my very own grandson Brigham! It was a joy to hear him practicing diligently every single day, with NO PRODDING from his mother! [Not all of her boys are quite that self-disciplined, lest you think she has a life of ease with nothing but sweetness and bliss... her boys are quite normal in their resistance to doing what their mother wants them to do :)] 

Another highlight of my week and of this Christmas season was going to a stunning production of the Nutcracker ballet with Gabrielle and Rachel - I have always loved ballet (and secretly longed to be a ballet dancer) and it was even better to be there with my daughters.  I think I might have to make that a tradition every year.